The present invention relates to mechanical circulatory devices, and in particular to a conduit for a ventricular assist device.
Mechanical Circulatory Devices (MCDs) such as artificial hearts, Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) and other blood circulating systems have become increasingly recognized as life saving devices for patients whose heart is diseased or has been injured by trauma or heart attack or other causes. VADs in particular, are recognized as a major life saving modality for assisting patients who suffer from congestive heart failure.
VADs must be connected to the natural heart of patients. In order to connect a VAD to a natural heart of a patient, a conduit assembly is used. The conduit assembly has a tubular tip body. The tip body is inserted into the heart. For proper functioning, the tip body should penetrates the heart wall so that the tip of the tip body comes out of the heart wall. If the tip body does not penetrate long enough, the heart muscle tissue surrounding the open end of the tip body grows and closes over the opening of the tip body. Thus, the blood flow is blocked.
By penetrating the heart wall, the closing of the opening of the tip body by the heart muscle may be avoided. However, the penetrated tip body may interfere with the septum wall separating two blood chambers of the natural heart. The septum wall may interfere the blood flow coming into the opening of the tip body, and in a worst case, it could totally close the opening of the tip body.
Therefore, there is a need of a tip body for a conduit assembly which can prevent such interference of the septum wall of the heart.
According to the invention, an inflow conduit assembly for conducting blood from a ventricle to a VAD having an orifice surrounded by an orifice Rim includes a rigid tube. The rigid tube includes an angled heart engaging end for insertion into a ventricle. The angled heart engaging end defines a long side for placement adjacent a heart septum. The angled heart engaging end has an outer surface defining at least one hole for draining blood from the ventricle.
According to one aspect of the invention, the tube includes an orifice end for attachment to the VAD, and the inflow conduit assembly further includes a coupling for attaching the orifice end of the tube to the VAD. The coupling is movable between a rotatable position wherein the tube is rotatable relative to the VAD, and a locked position wherein the tube is immobile relative to the VAD.